Tuning The C6 neck to Something Other Than C6

[James Quillian]

I am just toying with the idea of tuning the C6 neck to something else.
Surely this has been tried. Any thoughts?

[scott murray]

I've heard that Ralph Mooney had his necks tuned identically at least some of the time he played with Waylon, so if he ever broke a string he could just switch to the other neck. and I heard that he had an open G tuning at times which I've also heard called "cajun" tuning.

but the more I've gotten into C6, the more rewarding it has been. a really versatile tuning full of possibilities. I play more kinds of music on C6 than E9

Hal Rugg and Curly Chalker (among others) had their own version of C6, not the Emmons standard.

[Tom Sosbe]

Several have tuned to an A6th. Which if I understand correctly is like the E9th with pedals down.

[Bob Hoffnar]

I got rid of the low C and stuck a middle D in my tuning. It's sorta common. Works for me.

[Fred]

I’ve always thought this G6 copedent looked interesting.
viewtopic.php?p=3018176&hilit=G6+copedent#p3018176

[J D Sauser]

E13th tunings are a different kind of approach. Check out Zane Beck's "almost universal", although maybe too close to the E9th I just assume you will keep as the main tuning.... J-D.

[Gary Spaeth]

i was thinking a diatonic tuning with a high-pitched scale starting with the highest note and go straight down the scale. the roller diameters might be a challenge if they're meant for thicker strings.

[Tim Toberer]

A6 makes much more sense to me because it logically relates to E9. Can't seem to figure out why they decided on C6 lol!

[Fred]

E13th tunings are a different kind of approach. Check out Zane Beck's "almost universal", although maybe too close to the E9th I just assume you will keep as the main tuning.... J-D.

Beck had an earlier, simpler version tuned down to D on 10 strings.

[Fred]

A6 makes much more sense to me because it logically relates to E9. Can't seem to figure out why they decided on C6 lol!

I think E, A and C tunings all came from the early days of lap steel playing with an E on top. You could easily retune the same set of strings for E13, A6 and C6. And then pedals came along...

[J D Sauser]

i was thinking a diatonic tuning with a high-pitched scale starting with the highest note and go straight down the scale. the roller diameters might be a challenge if they're meant for thicker strings.

C6th, although not “linear” is almost diatonic, lacking only the note “B”, every other note being present in “open”, but setup in thirds.
But yes, it would be interesting to think up a simple pedal/lever setup which would make up as much sense musically as “A&B” on E9th.
At the end, lets not forget thouh, that we are talking “steel guitar”, meaning that slurs, bends and slides are expected, and thus desirable, it’s not a harp.
Another concern is “tunability”, having only one string per any pitch (versus several slightly spead tuned on a piano per key), similar to an electric piano with only one tome generator per note, the whole tuning would have to be tuned strickly Equal Temperament, bearing very harsh ET Major third (and noticeably beating, even thou less harsh minor third) intervals every other stings.
Sure, All chord qualities available on the other hand.

Is it practical?

That being said Jerry Byrd recorded several tunes on a “Diatonic” tuning and it all sounded as pretty as everything else he played on his other tunings.

Someone mentiened A6th related to E9th’s A&B down A6th. Likewise B6th relates to E9th’s Es down position.
A6th allows for a bearable 5th and even 6th on top. Maurice Anderson’s Bb6 had the 5th and 6th on top, so that even named a lower tuning, it had more “structure” (2nd interval between the 5th & 6th) in the higher register. For practicality, it brings the closer voiced sound “up there” in a maybe more natural fashion as C6th’s inside out D on top.



… JD.

[Gary Spaeth]

i was thinking it would be great for harmonics like a glockenspiel. the idea to make the other neck a "not steel" neck for variety.